LCAC lander, launcher and lifter

Abstract

Presented is an advance naval ship's stern appendage called an LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) Lander, Launcher and Lifter (L 4 system) to provide for landing and launching of amphibious hovercraft and increase the delivery capacity of amphibious hovercraft by naval vessels. The stern appendage which may be retrofitted on existing vessels or fully designed into new hull forms of new ships. Included in the stern appendage are longitudinally extending cantilever wingwalls, at least one hoistable platform with a backstop fold up gate, a med-moor ramp, drainage ducts, a resistance reduction leading edge, locking pins and a transfer conveyor system for amphibious hovercraft to gain access to and from the ship's decks above the waterline, and a hoisting system for raising and lowering the hoistable platform between said cantilever wingwalls.

1. A system for increasing the capability of a naval ship having a transom stern, a waterline, decks above the waterline, a starboard side and a port side, said ship configured to store, discharge and load cargo, fuel, repair and provide a safe haven landing and launching facility for air cushion vehicles in open waters and at harbor, said system comprising:
 at least two cantilever wing walls each having a forward end and an aft end, a right side and a left side, with the forward end of each wing wall attached to the transom stern of said ship and extending longitudinally aft from the transom stern; 
 a control station in one of said cantilever wing walls; 
 at least one elevator platform having a forward end, an aft end, a right side, and a left side, said elevator platform mounted between two adjacent ones of the cantilevered wing walls and vertically moveable with respect to said decks of the ship between a raised position and a lowered position for landing or launching the air cushion vehicles on or from the ship, said elevator platform further having a plated deck with through-deck ducts, said elevator platform further having positioning winches to secure the air cushion vehicles, the aft end of said elevator platform having a backstop fold-up gate and a med-moor ramp, said ducts each equipped with remotely-controlled valves to selectively permit or prevent passage of water and/or air therethrough, said valves controlled from a master console in said control station; and 
 an elevator hoisting system on at least one of said cantilever wing walls for raising and lowering the elevator platform between said raised position and said lowered position to provide access to and from the waterline to the ship decks above the waterline. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  where the elevator platform further comprises, a resistance reduction leading edge, locking pins and a transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises vehicle movers. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 2  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises hydraulic jack dollies. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 2  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises motorized roller drum conveyors. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  where the elevator hoisting system comprises a plurality of winches. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  where the air cushion vehicles are Landing Craft Air Cushion vehicles. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  where the elevator platform further comprises, a resistance reduction leading edge, locking pins and a transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises vehicle movers. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises hydraulic jack dollies. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7  where the transfer system for movement of air cushion vehicles further comprises motorized roller drum conveyors. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7  where the elevator hoisting system comprises a plurality of winches.